The first non-fiction edition of the program was closely followed, with several surprises and controversies along the way. Aguirre's champion, rapper Shad, fast became a fan favourite for his articulate and generous comments on both his chosen title and those of the other finalists.

Something Fierce beat out iconic hockey title The Game by Ken Dryden (defended by Alan Thicke), with the final vote being cast by Arlene Dickinson of Dragon's Den fame. An upset came when lawyer Anne-France Goldwater, who had proven to be something of an agent provocateur amongst the panelists, announced her choice of Something Fierce after earlier making incendiary comments about Aguirre's political views. Goldwater's own pick, John Vaillant's widely praised The Tiger, was voted out of the running earlier in the week.

Other finalists included Dickinson's pick and international bestseller, Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat and Canadian music man Dave Bidini's On a Cold Road, defended by supermodel Stacey McKenzie.